


We, Are Family

by secondalto



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Kid Fic, M/M, Oblivious Bucky Barnes, Oblivious Steve Rogers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-25
Updated: 2014-10-28
Packaged: 2018-02-22 12:09:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2507249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/secondalto/pseuds/secondalto
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve and Bucky both wanted families. This isn't how they'd pictured it going.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by [this](http://rainnecassidy.tumblr.com/post/99331994464/ninemoons42-stuffimgoingtohellfor) which, of course, was linked to me by Rainne. Who, as always, did her usual upstanding beta work.

It’s been three months since Bucky pulled him out of the Potomac. Three months of Steve and Sam trying to find Bucky. Three long, trying months of taking down an enemy Steve had thought gone. They’ve barely spent any time at home.

Not that Steve really has a home. He’d woken up and spent the first few months in this new century in a SHIELD apartment. After Loki and Chitauri, he’d gone on a short road trip along the East Coast. Then Fury had put him in D.C. Now, Tony lets them spend a night or two in the Tower. He says anytime Steve wants; he’s got an apartment there permanently. Sam too. Sometimes Steve bunks down in Sam’s spare bedroom.

But Steve knows it is for the greater good, taking down HYDRA. And he isn’t alone. They’ve been getting reports about other bases being taken down. Valuable intel and assets are left for agents to find. Bucky is out there doing some cleaning of his own. Steve can’t help but wonder when Bucky will be back in his life again.

That’s how he spends his down time. He takes advantage of Tony’s very large gymnasium, punching bags and thinking of Bucky. He is planning on doing that when Natasha calls. He answers because a phone call means more intel on HYDRA bases. If it is social thing, Nat would have texted.

“There can’t be information already,” he says in way of greeting.

“Hello to you, too, Steve. And yes, there is. There wasn’t much there, but what we’ve uncovered is disturbing.” If Nat thinks something is bad, then it’s probably ten times worse.

“How bad?”

“The translation may be wrong, but there was a mention of children.”

Steve is already mentally steeling himself for what they could find. “When do we leave?”

“Not until tomorrow. And don’t even begin to protest, Rogers,” she says, forestalling anything he might say. “We both know you need a solid nine or ten because you hardly slept on this last mission. So, go get some or I’ll hide your shield.”

“Yes, Nat,” he huffs, but he knows she’s right. He leaves the gym, bags untouched, and has JARVIS take him to the room. He sets the alarm and wills himself into a fitful sleep full of dreams of Bucky, and of the things Steve never got to tell him.

*~*~*~*~*

All he knows is that HYDRA is the enemy. They are the ones who’ve robbed him of a life, of too many years to count. He remembers in bits and pieces. Most of the memories involve men wearing HYDRA patches. Of the chair in various locations, of pain and cold and blood. The other memories that are most prominent are of the man, Steve. He’s remembered the name, and his, the one the… Steve used. He is James, also called Bucky.

The second name brings him feelings of safety, of home. He remembers laughter and fighting and gap-toothed smiles. And the memory he experiences the most is one of looking at Steve (who was so much smaller then) and feeling his heart full of love. When he first had that memory, he’s half convinced it’s something HYDRA put in there. But he keeps having it, more and more detail added every time, even down to the faint smell of the docks drifting in from the window.

Now James (he can’t make himself respond to Bucky. It doesn’t feel right. Yet.) is working on ridding the world of the men who captured him, tortured him and turned him into a monster. He leaves those with important information for Steve to find. Up next is a base in Dubrovnik. There was intel about experiments there. Something involving children.

James remembers his time with the Red Room. He remembers Natalia. He hopes that what is in Dubrovnik is nothing like that. He doesn’t know if he could bring himself to kill children. For now he will sleep, he needs a few hours before he can go on. He lays his head on the ground, tossing and turning before falling into slumber. He dreams of a sickly blond-haired boy who he fell in love with when they were twelve.

*~*~*~*~*~*

The base in Vilnius is small but well-guarded. Sam disables the one at the gate while Nat takes the one on the door. Steve is on her six, Sam following behind as they breach the facility. There is another guard just inside but the minute he sees Steve in full uniform his hands are up and he’s babbling in Russian. Steve’s picked up a few phrases and the one thing that stands out is ‘the girl’. He clenches his jaw and steps into the guard’s space, pushing him back to the wall.

“What girl?” he growls. “Where is she?”

The guard stutters and stammers before getting out a location. Nat relays it to him and he is down the hall like lightening. He prays to the Mother that there isn’t something there he won’t be able to unsee. The room the guard sent him to his marked with the universal symbols for danger and biochemicals. Steve crosses himself before trying the door. It’s unlocked.

He pushes it open slowly. The lab is quiet, almost too quiet. If there had been scientists here they are obviously gone. He thinks he hears a sound coming from the back of the room. There is another door there, probably a closet. Steve crosses the room and he can hear the sound more clearly now. It’s crying, coming from the closet.

“Hello?” he ventures.

There is a small gasp. Steve tentatively opens the door. He can’t see much in the dark and fumbles for a switch along the wall. When the light clicks on, Steve blinks a few times to adjust. Then he looks down. She’s got her arms over her head to block the light. Steve crouches down.

“Hey there,” he says softly. “I’m here to help. I’m not going to hurt you.”

She lowers her arms slowly and looks up at him. Steve’s breath and heart stop. It’s Bucky in perfect miniature but with Steve’s chin and ears. Her grey-blue eyes are red and wet with tears. He reaches out for her slowly. She can’t be more than four or five.

“Hey doll. I’m Steve. What’s your name?”

She shakes her head, biting her lower lip in a gesture so familiar Steve aches. “The man,” she says, voice high and soft. “Called me Alpha.”

“Would you mind if I gave you a name?” Steve asks. She shakes her head again, accompanied by a tiny shrug. He shuffles through names he knows but keeps coming back to one. “How about Sarah?”

She seems to think for a moment and then nods.

“Okay, Sarah, why don’t we leave here?” He picks her up from the floor, grabbing the blanket she was sitting on. He clutches her to his chest, not saying anything to Sam who is standing next to the lab door. Nat is there soon after.

“She was in there,” he says nodding to the lab. “See what you can find. I’m taking her to the Quinjet.”

They nod and Steve exits the base, questions running through his head. No matter the answers he is going to protect this little girl.

*~*~*~*~*

It takes hours of planning, but only an hour and half of work to get into the base. It’s large and sprawling with soldiers and scientists and engineers crawling all over it. But once the first dozen are taken care of the rest seem to want to be nowhere near him. James brings up building schematics on a nearby terminal. He grabs a fleeing woman and asks about the children.

“There… is… only one,” she stammers. She points to the room on the screen and James lets her go. He strides through the base purposefully. The people scramble to get out of his way. James is ready to burn the place to the ground if anything has happened to the child. Even if nothing has, the base will no longer exist when he is done here.

The room turns out to be a nursery. There is another woman there but she just steps aside and gives him access to the lone crib there. She says something about a file before she, too, flees. James approaches the crib and looks down. The child is about two but it is his features that cause James to get a hitch in his breathing. The boy has his nose, but the boy’s hair is the same shade of blond as Steve’s was. The boy turns his head and blinks his eyes open. They are the same shade of sky-blue as Steve’s. James gently picks him up, smelling the sweet scent of baby powder. The boy fusses but only for a moment before setting into James’s arms.

“Hush, little one, I’ve got you,” James murmurs in Russian. The boys turns and stares at him. James goes over to the table where the nurse left the file. It only reads _Beta._ “That’s not a name,” James says to himself. “Your name is…Grant,” he tells the boy after a moment. The boy smiles and James knows he will move heaven and Earth to keep him safe.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve and Bucky make the kids theirs. And they get closer to meeting again.

“She’s yours and Bucky’s,” Tony says. “I don’t know how or why, but DNA doesn’t lie.”

When they’d returned to New York, Steve had immediately taken Sarah to Bruce and Tony for tests. They’d taken blood and checked her out as quickly as possible before Steve took her to the room he’d used before and put her to bed. JARVIS is keeping an eye on her. Nat and Sam had found information on her in the lab, and JARVIS is also decrypting that data. Steve doesn’t question how Tony got a hold of Bucky’s DNA. More than likely HYDRA had it somewhere in the information that Nat let loose upon the world.

“I may have a partial answer,” JARVIS intones. “It seems that after Captain Rogers’s transformation, the SSR took samples from him to see if they might be able to re-create the serum. With HYDRA infiltrating SHIELD, it is likely they had a mole in its predecessor and therefore access to Captain Rogers’s DNA.”

“But why a child?” Steve asks. “Why would anyone do that?”

“The perfect soldier,” Bruce says softly. Steve turns to look at him and Bruce shrugs apologetically. “You said that Zola did something to Barnes. My guess is some version of the serum if he survived that fall. His serum-enhanced DNA combined with your serum-enhanced DNA… an evil organization’s wet dream. And with a child, they could mold it, her, into anything they wanted.”

Steve takes all of that in. Sarah won’t face that now. Steve is going to make sure she has as normal a childhood as he can give her. “What next?” he asks.

Tony makes a gesture with one of his arms. “Totally up to you, Cap. We could put her up for adoption…”

“No. She’s mine. I don’t care what it takes or how much it costs, she’s mine. You make that happen, Stark,” Steve interrupts.

“Whoa, slow down there, Rogers,” Tony replies, with his hands out. “The minute J gives me a date of birth and you give me names, I’ll get my lawyers right on it.”

“Thank you,” Steve says, looking a little abashed. “I’m going to go check on her.”

He leaves and goes up to the room. When he gets to the bedroom, Sarah is whimpering a little in her sleep. Steve gently gets onto the bed, whispering “It’s all right, I’m here,” to her. She wakes a little.

“Daddy?” she whispers and Steve’s heart clenches. He doesn’t care why she’s calling him that, it feels right. She’s his. His and Bucky’s and he already half loves her.

“I’ve got you, baby,” he answers, pulling her onto his chest. She snuggles down close and falls back asleep. Steve dozes with her, arms wrapped around her tiny body as they rest. He doesn’t know what time it is when a chime wakes him. The sun is up and JARVIS apologizes for the intrusion. But the news is good. As of two minutes ago, Sarah Margaret Rogers is legally his daughter.

*~*~*~*~*~

It isn’t until he reaches St. Petersburg a week later that James is able to read Grant’s file. He has ignored all activity between the base and here because he has Grant to look after now. He reads the file, quickly learning that Grant will be two in about a month. He reads it again and is stunned. Grant is his child. But he is also Steve’s child. There is something about DNA and creating more soldiers. The anger wells up in him but he tamps it down again.

“Don’t worry, _egy kis_ , they cannot harm you any more. You are mine,” he whispers to Grant as he rocks the child to sleep. “No one will take you from me. All who try will pay the consequences.”

James knows he can’t continue to find and destroy HYDRA. He also knows that he isn’t the man that he had been before the fall. Before Dubrovnik, he’d experienced nightmares; since then, he’s slept with Grant in the same bed and he’s spent most nights dreamless. He can’t go to Steve yet. Soon. But first he must make sure that no one can take Grant away from him. He must make his boy his, legally. There is a man in Sofia who owes him a favor.

Two months later, Grant Gabriel Barnes is his. And James decides it’s time to find Steve. It isn’t going to be easy; he knows that there are people out there looking for him. He’s a wanted man. He stays in Sofia for a while: one, because it’s out of the way and no one knows he’s been here before and two, because Grant gets sick. The file said he’d been born early and had trouble breathing but had recovered quickly and seemed to be in perfect health. But whatever he has now has James scared.

He remembers nursing Steve through this thing and that, worried half to death that Steve wouldn’t recover this time. Grant is his son, their son. James loves this little boy so much it scares him sometimes. Even the part of him that is still the cold-blooded assassin will tear the world to pieces if it means that Grant will be safe. It takes two weeks and some help from some of the grandmothers in the nearby village but Grant returns to his former bubbly self. James relaxes When Grant wakes up on the first morning of better health and calls him “Papa,” he doesn’t cry.

*~*~*~*~**~

“Someone’s going to find out you know,” Tony blurts out one morning at breakfast.

It’s been three months since Steve found her and now he can’t imagine not having Sarah in his life. “What do you mean?” he asks, going back to his breakfast. Sarah is currently in the very capable hands of the SI in-house daycare. Tony glares at him over his coffee cup.

“I mean, you having a kid. I know I pay my lawyers a lot of money and they handed out… incentives for people not to say anything, but the adoption is part of the public record. And we’ve been having a slow news cycle.” Tony nods to the TV, which is on mute but showing reports of HYDRA still being taken down. “Reporters are going to notice you’re not out there taking down the bad guys.”

Steve shrugs and continues eating as he speaks. “So we release a statement that I’m taking time off. For my mental health. That’s a thing isn’t it?”

Tony sighs and shakes his head. “You don’t get it, Rogers. There are blogs and tabloids out there who pay people to lurk at the courthouse, to comb through public records. That’s how they get the low down on celebrity separations and whatever.”

“Then I still release a statement,” Steve says. “I’m not going to hide the fact that I have a daughter, Tony.”

“Well then, how are you going to explain the fact that she’s four and half and you’ve been out of the ice barely three years?” Tony does have a point. Steve wants to say something else but Tony continues. “And, _and_ that she’s also the child of your long thought dead BFF who just also happens to be an ex-assassin?”

Steve puts down his fork and slumps his shoulders. “I don’t know, Tony. I’ll… come up with something. I’m sure Pepper can help out. Now don’t you have a princess robot to make?” He raises an eyebrow at Tony.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Tony answers, before grabbing his coffee, turning on his heel and stalking out of the kitchen.

Steve shakes his head and laughs to himself. Sarah has every one of his team mates wrapped around her little finger. Tony is building her a robot. Pepper has supplied her with more clothes than she could possibly wear before she grows out of them. Natasha is teaching Sarah languages and ballet. Sam and Thor both take her flying. Clint watches Sesame Street with her and is teaching her sign language. Bruce lets her help out in the lab sometimes, occasionally accompanied by Jane, who shows her the stars on the roof. Darcy has put herself in charge of musical education.

But Tony is right. Nat and Sam have taken over the duties of bringing down HYDRA cells. And Bucky seems to have stopped helping out as well, though there is someone (or several someone’s) still out there helping. Steve finishes his breakfast and looks to the ceiling. “JARVIS, where is Pepper right now?”

“Miss Potts is currently finishing up a meeting. Shall I see if she’s free?”

“Please,” Steve asks.

A moment later JARVIS answers. “She’ll see you now, Captain Rogers.”

“Thanks, JARVIS,” Steve says and starts making mental notes of what he might want to say. While he hopes that nothing will happen, he’s learned the hard way that there really isn’t any privacy any more in this century. Not for those in the public eye. He remembers the headlines and pictures when, as part of his education in all the things he’s missed, Darcy had taken him to the Met and they they’d gone for a walk through Central Park.

He’d wanted to go on television, to have words with the press, but Pepper had handled it beautifully. There had been a press statement that Steve and Darcy are just friends and that she is helping him adjust to his new surroundings. Darcy had even gone on The Daily Show, with Clint, to show the world who she really is in a relationship with. Steve reaches Pepper’s office and tells her what he needs. When they are done an hour and a half later, Steve is somewhat happy with the results.

Three days later, he’s silently thanking Tony for being an infuriating ass.

*~*~*~*~*

James has made it to the south of France when he sees it. The small café has a television in the corner but it’s not hard to miss the face that he knows as well as his own. It’s Steve. He politely asks the girl behind the counter to turn the sound up as he sees the headline crawl across the bottom of the screen.

_CAPTAIN AMERICA’S SECRET CHILD? WHERE DID SHE COME FROM?_

There are pictures of Steve in a park. There is a small child with him but none of the pictures so far show her face. Then a final one flashes up and stays as the news anchor drones on.

“She looks like you,” the girl comments. “And your boy, he looks like that man.”

James can’t breathe, can’t think. He absently throws some Euros to the girl before gathering Grant up and leaving the café. The girl in the pictures has to be around four or five. She is their child too. There hadn’t been anything in Grant’s file about other children. But if Grant is Beta, that means there is an Alpha out there. The girl. James is even more determined to go to Steve. But he has to be careful.

He thinks he may know how. He might have stopped going after HYDRA but that didn’t mean they weren’t being taken care of. James has sources who are feeding him information. Natalia is out there with a man whose code name is Falcon. He remembers taking down a man with wings. But there are also others. The rumor mills says it is a team clinging to the name SHIELD and run by a dead man. The last source had told James that they might be in Spain.

A day later he’s in Madrid. This team is good, but he is better. He thanks his lucky stars that Grant is an easy-going child as James straps on the thing that will keep Grant close to his chest. Grant chatters to him in a mix of Russian, English, Hungarian, French and Italian. A few of those he knew, the rest James is teaching him. The team is working out of an abandoned warehouse. His source tells him they are out acquiring something but should return by the end of the day.

It’s quick work to access the building and James settles in to wait. He bides the time by teaching Grant more words and playing games. Grant also delights in watching the plates of his arm move and shift. The team's airplane is easily accessed for food and a place to lay Grant down for a nap. The sun is near to setting when he hears voices. Grant becomes fussy, picking up on James’s nervousness. James picks him up and soothes him with a soft lullaby.

“Who’s there? We can hear you,” a man’s voice calls out.

James says nothing but continues to rock Grant gently, making sure he will be in view of anyone approaching. After a moment the lights turn on and he can see the team. The one called May is in the lead, her eyes hard. But the leader, Coulson, is just behind and James can see a flicker of surprise pass quickly over the man’s face.

“You’re… but… how?” Coulson asks.

James give him a wry smile as he answers. “Long story. But I need you to get me to New York. Seems like Captain America and I have a lot to talk about.” He turns so they all can see Grant’s face. Everyone but May lowers their weapons.

“So it would seem,” Coulson says. “Welcome to the twenty-first century, Sergeant Barnes.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky and Steve meet (again). A wild plot twist appears.

“Sir,” JARVIS intones, “I am afraid my security is being overridden again. All my surveillance has been cut off and an elevator is coming to the common room.”

Tony frowns. Steve is very familiar with the face Tony makes. They are sitting with Pepper trying to formulate a strategy for releasing Steve’s press statement. Sarah is sitting on the floor coloring.

“Remind me to go through your code again, J,” Tony finally says. “The last time this happened…”

“It was Phil,” Pepper whispers. They all stare at the elevator door.

“You have any weapons around?” Steve asks.

“Oh, yes, because I like keeping guns and knives where anyone can get to them,” Tony snarks. “But I can hold my own when it comes to hand to hand.” Steve gives Tony a look. “What? I’ve been training. Pep grab the kid, there’s a panic room behind the bookcase. Just pull out the bio of Obie.”

Pepper stands and gets ready to gather Sarah up. “I always did wonder why you had that.”

The elevator doors open and everyone in the room gapes as Phil Coulson steps out, the rest of his team stays in place for the moment.

“Okay,” Tony finally says, frowning and pointing at Phil. “Is everyone seeing what I’m seeing, because I’m pretty sure I’m seeing a dead man.”

“Don’t make me start spouting clichés, Mr. Stark,” Phil comments, stepping into the room further. “My state of being is not the issue here. I’ve come to speak to Captain Rogers. We saw the news.”

“I don’t think you can help me there, Agent,” Steve says, glancing to where Sarah is still quietly coloring.

“No, but we do have more information. And someone you might want to speak to about it.”

Everyone in the elevator clambers off and steps aside to reveal one more person standing at the very back. Bucky. He looks better, his eyes are less haunted.

“Bucky, what are you…?” Steve’s gaze falls to Bucky’s arms. The boy there turns to look at Steve. He sees his own eyes and knows.

Then Sarah, who has gotten up from the floor, peeks around from behind Pepper’s legs and says in an excited voice, “ _Brolis_!”

The boy wriggles in Bucky’s arms and Bucky gently sets him down. He toddles on unsteady legs towards Sarah who meets him halfway. She brings him to where she has been sitting and they settle on the floor with crayons and paper, chattering away in a polyglot of languages. Meanwhile the adults stand around awkwardly for a moment. Pepper, ever the gracious hostess, speaks first and steps towards Phil.

“Well, Phil,” she says, smiling and taking a hold of his arm gently. “I’m sure you and your team are tired and hungry. Why don’t we go down to the kitchen while JARVIS gets rooms prepared for all of you?”

As they all crowd back into the elevator, Tony rolls his eyes and sighs. “Yes, yes, you can tell us about not being dead and everything else. J, alert Romanoff and Barton, I think they may have…”

His voice trails off as the elevator door closes on everyone. Steve gestures to the furniture and Bucky sits on the couch while Steve takes the chair he’d been in before. “So, um… he’s… god, Buck. What a mess we’ve got ourselves into.”

“Been in worse,” Bucky replies. He nods towards the kids. “What did you call her?”

“Sarah Margaret,” Steve answers.

“After your ma and…” Bucky seems almost reluctant to say Peggy’s name.

Steve nods. “Yeah. And him?”

“Grant Gabriel. For you and Jones.” Bucky ducks his head as if he’s shy about this fact.

“Good names,” Steve says. He shouldn’t be this nervous around his best friend. “Can you wait a second?”

He waits for Bucky’s assent and Steve turns to the kids. “Sarah?”

“Yes, daddy?” she asks, not looking up from her picture.

“How did you know Grant was your brother?”

She looks up at him and flashes a grin that is pure Barnes. “The man said. He had pictures. Of a lady with a big belly.” She rounds her hands over her stomach to show them. “He had one when Beta… Grant was born. Man said if I was good, I could meet Grant one day.” She looks up at Steve. “He looks like you, daddy.”

“Yes, he does,” Steve answers, his voice rough with emotion. Sarah speaks up again, this time looking at Bucky.

“I look like him. Who is he?”

“He’s your…” Steve struggles to find the right word.

Grant chooses this moment to give his opinion. “Papa,” he says firmly.

Bucky smiles shyly at Sarah. “Yes, I’m your Papa, _liebchen_.”

Sarah nods and goes back to her coloring. Steve shakes his head and marvels at the adaptability and acceptance of children. Then he levers himself up and walks across the room to the bar.

“We obviously have a lot to talk about? Want a drink?”

“I’d give my left arm for a decent whiskey,” Bucky says. Steve glares. “Too soon?” Bucky asks, giving Steve an innocent look.

*~*~*~*~*~*

James feels… at home in this strange tower but only because he is around Steve. He watches as his friend (are they more? This he can’t remember) pour drinks. He accepts the proffered scotch and Steve sits. There is more awkward silence between them though the kids seem to have no problem getting along.

Steve rubs a hand over his faced and looks at James. “Bucky…” he begins.

“James,” he interrupts. “I… I don’t feel like – him. Not yet.”

Steve process that before nodding. “How are you…? I mean, I know you rescued me.”

“Had to, punk, you’d’ve drowned otherwise.”

Steve laughs nervously. “No, you didn’t have to, you kept saying I was your mission.”

“You were,” James says softly. “You and Romanoff. But in the street, when you said my name... It started something.” He hesitates, not sure how much he should say in front of the children. He looks to them for a long moment. Steve follows his gaze.

“Sarah, can you take Grant over to the television? JARVIS will put something on for you.”

“Okay, daddy,” she says, getting up from the floor and helping her brother to the far side of the room. James breathes a little easier, especially when the television turns on and starts playing _Finding Nemo_. Then he turns back to Steve, his voice still low.

“They did things to my brain. Hooked me up to machines and ran what felt like pure lightning through my head. To make me forget. Then they’d freeze me so I couldn’t recover.”

“The serum,” Steve breathes. “That’s what Zola did to you, gave you what I got.”

“Some version of it, yeah,” James says. “When you said my name, then kept hammering me with facts on the ship… it broke through the wipes. The final straw was when you were lying there, half-dead and said…” he chokes up, unable to get out the words that, at least to him, are basically a declaration of love.

“So you started to remember,” Steve says, offering him a way out.

“Yeah. There are still a few blanks, some of them I’m happy to keep blank, but I remember.”

“And you went after HYDRA.”

“So did you,” James points out. Steve gives him a wry smile. It tugs at James’s heart. “That’s how I found Grant. Heard about them doing experiments with kids. Couldn’t have that.”

“That’s the same way I found Sarah. We got a lot of information we’re still decrypting. Until you showed up, I thought she was the only one.”

“I can add to that, got Grant’s file with me. Some was in code, but I could find said nothing about other kids.”

Steve seems to relax. “Good. As you saw on the news, it’s a big deal about Sarah. Now there’s you and Grant and…”

James instinctively leans forward and puts a hand on Steve’s knee. Steve looks at him and they stare at each other for what seems like forever before James speaks. “We’ll get through it. We always do.”

Steve covers James’s hand with his own. “We do.”

The sounds of the movie fill the room.

“Well,” Steve says. “I guess I could show you where you’ll stay.”

“Steve,” James begins.

“No, this is the best place for you both. And really, have you seen this place?” he waves a hand expressively, as if to encompass the entire tower. “Not like Stark is lacking space for you, I’ve got a spare bedroom. You can bunk there. JARVIS can wrangle up a crib or something for Grant.”

James nods and that seems to be that. Coulson returns briefly to make sure James is okay with staying. Steve orders pizza so they don’t have to be with everyone else for dinner. When it comes to bedtime, there’s still no bed for Grant but James waves it off.

“He’s been sleeping with me all this time, one more night won’t hurt.” He falls asleep looking at the face of his son, their son and wishing that he had the courage to say something about what he thinks he remembers.

In the morning when he’s not woken by Grant whining to be fed, he panics. He’s out of the bed and into the hall in a flash. He’s stopped by Steve, who is standing outside of Sarah’s room. Steve’s finger is at his lips in a gesture for quiet, the he points to the room. James steps softly to get next to Steve and peers in. Grant is cuddled up next to Sarah, both of them sleeping soundly. Steve pulls out his phone, taking video and pictures. James can’t help but smile. They’re going to be fine, the kids are. Now if only their parents can get it together.

*~*~*~*~*~*

The next few weeks are still awkward as they try to get used to one another again. Steve slowly introduces Buck… James to everyone else. First to Darcy.

“What the hell, Stevie? Still can’t talk to pretty dames?” James asks afterwards.

Steve blushes. “Jerk, she’s dating someone. But she’s been helping me catch up. Says if you want, she’ll include you too.”

“Sure,” James shrugs.

Next is Clint, who offers to talk to James about things, explaining briefly about Loki. Then there’s Jane and Thor. Then finally re-introductions to Nat and Sam. James and Nat speak at length in Russian, but there doesn’t seem to be any anger there, so Steve lets it go.

Pepper and the SI PR team craft great statements based on Steve’s initial one, about both kids and James. But everyone is clamoring to hear from Captain America and his not-so-dead best friend. Pepper books them on Ellen. Ellen is sympathetic to James and enthusiastically kind to the kids. It’s a success. The worst of the so-called news personalities will never think the best of James, but Steve sees him with Sarah and Grant and knows that this is the man he’s loved most of his life. He’s just not sure James will ever feel, or ever felt, the same way.

Through careful legal wrangling, James Buchanan Barnes is exonerated of any and all wrongdoings perpetuated while he was under the control of various nefarious organizations. To celebrate, Tony has everyone come in for dinner at the Tower. Steve and James end up sitting next to each other, the children on either side of them.

“Awww look at the super soldier family,” Tony teases. “How very Brady.”

They give him blank looks.

“It’s a TV show reference,” Darcy explains. “I’ll add it to the list.”

Tony starts humming, the occasional word or two slipping out.

“Dude, are you re-writing the theme song?” Darcy asks, pointing her fork at him.

“Maybe,” Tony grins. “Here’s the story of a man named Stevie,” he sings.

“No, no,” Clint says, laughing. “Try ‘lonely Captain’. I think it scans better.”

Steve just rolls his eyes and James bites his lip to keep from laughing. Everyone at the table joins in, offering lines and singing, until they finish the song. There’s light applause from Sarah, who really just likes singing.

Tony grins widely. Then he says, “Course, you know, technically to be the Bradys, they’d need four more kids.”

This makes Natasha laugh. “They’d be in over their heads with more.”

“We’ve got you to help,” Steve says. This makes Nat frown. “I wouldn’t mind more…” he trails off, looking at James.

Clint rocks back in his chair, running a hand through his hair. “You know, it’s funny that they are the only two you found. You’d think HYDRA would have tried this before or since, if they were attempting to build an army.”

The room goes absolutely quiet but for the sound of Grant banging his sippy cup on the tray of his high chair.

“J?” Tony ventures. “How’s the progress on decrypting those files Cap and Barnes brought back?”

“I’m doing my best, sir. If you wish me to go any faster I’ll need more processing power.”

Tony’s out of his seat immediately. “Shut down all non-essential floors here. Go to back up power on the businesses downstairs and at all the safe houses. Close the Sag Harbor house. All your efforts go into decryption unless I tell you otherwise.”

“You don’t really think?” Steve offers, his heart hammering.

James gives him a look. “This is HYDRA, Stevie. We might have more kids out there.”

“We’re going to need a bigger apartment,” he says. “Think you can handle more?” he asks James.

“Bring ‘em,” James says. “We’ll be the best parents ever.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And because I'm sure someone's gonna ask, the rewritten Brady Bunch theme song lyrics. Blame Rainne.
> 
> Here's the story of a lonely Captain  
> Who was bringing up a very lovely child  
> She looked very much like her Papa  
> The resemblence was wild
> 
> Here's the story of a man named Bucky  
> Who was busy with a little boy of his own  
> There were two men, traveling together  
> But they were all alone
> 
> 'Til one day when the Captain saw his fellow  
> And they knew it was much more than a hunch  
> That the four of them must somehow for a family  
> That's the way they became the Super Soldier Bunch.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys go traveling. Another plot twist appears.

Two weeks later they’re in Borneo. On the actual island of Borneo, the place James has only read about in books and National Geographic articles.

“Talk about your remote locations,” James comments, wiping sweat from his brow. This is as far from the frozen tube he was kept in as he can imagine and right now, he’ll almost take the cryo-chamber.

“HYDRA really was spread out. JARVIS suspects this is a tiny base. Not much resistance,” Steve says.

“We’ll be ready for them if there is. These are our kids, Steve.” Since JARVIS found this first one, James is certain there are more. Even if nothing ever happens between him and Steve, this is his family, the only family he’ll ever get to have.

They push through the jungle. Not too far in is a cottage. A very secure cottage with cameras and probably hidden booby traps. James goes first, skulking around the perimeter, disabling everything, including a guard. He signals to Steve and they both approach the cottage carefully. The door is unlocked but they both have weapons out. There appears to be no one inside.

“Maybe JARVIS got it wrong,” James says as he watches Steve step into another room.

“I don’t think so…” the tone of Steve’s voice makes James follow him. Standing in the corner is a cryo-chamber just like the one he’d been kept in, only slightly smaller. The face staring out at them from the porthole is so familiar that James can’t help but walk over to the thing and stroke a finger over the glass.

“She looks like Becca, Stevie,” he whispers. “Just like my fucking sister.” He reaches for the control panel, but Steve stops him with a gentle hand. Steve is holding a folder, just like Grant’s.

“She’s more like you,” Steve says gently. “From what I can tell, she’s been subjected to the same… techniques they used on you. We should bring the whole thing in. Take her out at the Tower, where we can monitor everything.”

James nods. “What did they call her?” he demands.

“There’s just a number here, Buck,” Steve answers, slipping into old habits. James will let it slide. He turns back to the girl in the tube.

“Rebecca. Rebecca Marie,” he says. Steve says nothing, but they stand there for a long while. Then Steve leaves to call in back up from the government who are all too happy to help out Captain America. Clint and Bruce arrive in a Quinjet several hours later. James and Steve wrestle the tube into the jet and Steve hands Bruce the file. Bruce glances at both it and the tube before speaking.

“From what I can tell, she…” he starts.

“Rebecca,” James supplies, his eyes never leaving the tube.

Bruce nods. “Rebecca is physically fine. She’s fourteen, no modifications, though it looks they had planned on…” he trails off, looking at Steve, then James.

He doesn’t look back. He knows exactly what they were going to do. They had done it in the Red Room, they’d done it to Natalia.

“What?” Steve asks, his face a picture of worry.

“They’d have made it so she couldn’t have kids,” James grinds out.

“Yes, well,” Bruce says, fiddling with his glasses. “You got to her before that could happen. When we get her out, I’d like to put her in a medically induced coma. I think, given time, she might be able to heal from what she was subjected to, like you did, James. She is serum-enhanced and given the chance, she’ll recover nicely.” Steve relaxes, but James says nothing. “The files says it didn’t happen many times and she’s only been put in stasis twice for short periods of time. So…” he wraps up. “Congratulations, it’s a teenage girl.”

The rest of the flight home is made in silence. To James, Steve seems anxious about something, but James chalks it up to worry about how many more kids are out there.

*~*~*~*~*

The transfer of Becca from pod to bed in medical goes fairly smoothly. James wants to never leave her side, but Darcy is the voice of reason.

“You’ve got two other kids who depend on both of you. And you’ve got to remember you’ve got friends here. Who the hell do you think was watching Grant and Sarah while you were off gallivanting in the South Pacific?” she asks as she stands next to him. He’s sitting next to Becca’s bed, watching her vitals.

“Thanks, Darce,” he whispers. He stands, kissing Becca’s forehead before he kisses the top of Darcy’s head as he leaves the room.

He spends time with the younger children and with Steve. Something has shifted between the two of them and James can’t quite put his finger on it. Not much has really changed, but somehow it’s different. They explain to Sarah about Becca and take them both down to see her. On the fifth day, Bruce sends a message via JARVIS that Becca will be brought out of her coma and given her serum-enhancement, she’ll likely be awake shortly after. James and Steve leave the kids with Clint and go down. They are standing on opposite sides of the bed when Becca gasps and sits up, eyes wide. She sees them both and gasps.

“Hey,” Steve says softly. “You’re safe.”

She takes a breath. “I know you. Steven Grant Rogers.” She turns to James. “James Buchanan Barnes.”

“Yes, that’s right doll, we’re your…” James begins.

She narrows her eyes. “I know who you are. Guess I’m not in the jungle anymore.”

“New York,” Steve supplies. He pulls out his phone and brings up a picture of Sarah and Grant to show her. She grabs the phone and makes a soft sound of surprise.

“Alpha, Beta,” she breathes, running a finger over their faces. “You found them?”

“Sarah and Grant, now,” Steve says. “They’re here and they’d love to meet their big sister.”

James sits on the edge of the bed and takes her hand. “And,” he hesitates for a moment, “We know you didn’t get name. If you’d like, we want to call you Rebecca Marie, for my sister.”

She closes her eyes and seems to think about it. James can see her lips move, forming the name as if testing it out. She opens her eyes again and nods. “It’s a good name, a strong name.” Then she looks at James and he knows that expression. It’s want and need and desperation. “You’ll tell me about her someday?”

James’s throat closes up a little and he struggles to answer her. “Yes,” he chokes out. Then he swallows and squeezes her hand. “Becca, we know there might be more kids out there. You know anything?”

She looks at both of them, as if trying to decide if they are worthy.

“Yes,” she says finally. “Asunción.”

“Great, another jungle,” James grumbles.

Becca tugs at his hand, shaking her head. “No, right in the middle of the city. Underground. I can give you coordinates. Just…” she pauses, ducking her head. “Can I see them?”

“Of course you can, sweetheart,” Steve says, dropping down on the other side of her. “Bruce has to give you a quick check up, but yes. You’re with family now.”

A tear slips down her cheek and she collapses into James’s arms.

*~*~*~*~*

The city is bustling. Steve and Buck… James (god fucking dammit, Steve’s gonna call him Bucky in his head, it will save him headaches.) Steve and Bucky stroll through the streets casually approaching the building where Becca had said there is another child. Steve kind of wishes he could hold Bucky’s hand right now. But he can’t so he looks at the building, which is disguised as the headquarters for a scientific organization, but according to Becca there are labs beneath it.

They have access codes and Clint and Nat as back up. They casually stop at a side door and Steve pulls out a guide book as a prop. Bucky enters the code on the panel next to the door and they both hear the click of the lock. When Nat gives them the all clear, they slip inside. There is a fight to get to the elevators, but once the guards are subdued, all the rest are compliant. Steve’s Spanish is atrocious so Bucky does all the talking. A tiny woman gives them a key to the elevator. Bucky takes it and offers up a harsh “ _Todos te vas!_ ” Everyone scatters.

“Are you ready for this?” Steve asks Bucky.

Bucky snorts. “We’re doing okay so far in the parenting lottery. Don’t think there’s much that can throw me now.”

Fate chooses to prove Bucky so very, very wrong.

The scientist in the labs offer up no resistance.

“ _¿Dónde están los niños?”_ Bucky asks.

One man gets up and points to some rooms. Bucky motions for him to get on with it. Steve is anxious to know. Then the man opens not one, but two doors and a boy of nine or ten steps out of each.

The boy on the left is dark like Bucky and hovers a few inches off the ground when he sees them

The boy on the right is fair like Steve and vanishes with an audible pop at the sight of them.

“Fuck me. Mutants?” Bucky swears.

Steve can’t help but laugh. “There’s a school for them, in Connecticut. Logan’s a teacher there.”

“Howlett? That fucker’s still around?”

“Buck,” Steve sighs. “Language.” Then he steps forwards towards the boys. “It’s okay, you’re safe now. We’re your parents. We have two of your sisters and a brother.”

“You won’t hurt us?” the one of the left asks.

“No, we won’t, kid,” Bucky says. “Will your brother reappear?”

The other one pops back into existence at that. “Sorry,” he mutters. “I don’t have control of it yet.”

“We know people who can help with that,” Steve says, crouching to be on their level. “Do you have names?”

They shake their heads in unison. He and Bucky had spent some of the time Becca had been her coma discussing names.

“You two are old enough to decide. We,” he indicates Bucky and himself, “have names picked out but if you want, you can pick out your own names.”

They sidle closer to each other, turning to whisper in each other ears. The blond one asks, “Are they good names?”

Steve nods, a little of the unease releasing from his body. “You’d be named after some of the best men we knew, courageous men.”

“We just called each other by the numbers the men used,” the brunet says. “What are the names?”

“Timothy and Jack,” Steve offers. They confer with each other again.

The blond one looks up shyly and says, “I’d like to be Timothy.”

“I like Jack,” the brunet offers.

“Then that’s who you’ll be,” Steve says, standing again. There’s the issue of middle names, Steve would really like to have one of them carry Doctor Erskine’s name, but they can cross that bridge later.

Bucky stands from where he’d been leaning against the wall. “You know of any other kids?” Bucky asks. With a shake of their heads, Bucky sighs. “Knew it wouldn’t be that easy. C’mon then, you’re gonna meet your Aunt Tasha and Uncle Clint and then we’re going home.”

Steve watches as the boys follow Bucky to the elevators. He is finally getting the big family he’s always wanted, even if Bucky doesn’t want to be more than friends. He’ll deal.

*~*~*~*

They quickly settle into a routine. Becca and the twins get enrolled in a private school with security vetted by Tasha. There are new rounds of statements and interviews, but generally they are left alone. Of course all of the kids are spoiled rotten by the entire team and their respective significant others. James likes this. He’s even beginning to think that maybe Bucky is the name he should be using. He’s never going to be the man who fell from the train, but it feels… more familiar to him. Also, Steve keeps calling him that and James is tired of correcting him.

They are taking up two apartments with a connecting door, but Tony promises that he’ll have something bigger ready for them… soon. James is sure he will, when pigs fly. Becca has shown an interest in mechanics and engineering and Tony is all too happy to take his newest niece under his wing. He wants to show her how to repair her Papa’s arm in case of emergency.

James is mostly happy. The only hiccup is that he isn’t with Steve. Neither of them date, citing the kids as an excuse. James spends far too many nights jerking off to images in his head of Steve naked. Maybe he’ll finally take Tasha up on her offer to set him up with someone. Then, one month after Asunción, JARVIS interrupts dinner.

“I’m sorry, Captain Rogers, Sergeant Barnes, but it is rather urgent.”

“What is it?” James asks, wiping sauce from Grant’s face while glaring at Tim and Jack who were preparing to start a food fight.

“There’s another child,” he says.

The statement lies there in the air and then all the kids are chattering in excitement. Steve gives them all his best ‘Captain America disapproves’ look and they get quiet. Then James looks at him from across the table.

“Ready for one more, punk?”

Steve just grins and asks, “Where, JARVIS?”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The last kid. Awkwardness. Happy ending

“Well, you wanted somewhere other than the jungle!” Steve shouts over the wind.

“Yes, but Antarctica? You know how I feel about the cold!” James shouts back. They are fighting against the weather to reach a remote outpost. “Why the fuck did they pick the South Pole?”

“JARVIS is sure this is the last one and thinks that HYDRA came here thinking we’d never find them,” Steve answers.

“Didn’t count on a near-human AI, did they?” James smirks.

Then he points out the well-built but tiny building. It can’t hold more than two rooms. The guard outside immediately surrenders when he sees a flash of metal arm. They struggle with the door. When they get in, they hear screaming. They rush to the bedroom, shedding outer gear as they go. James can’t help but gape at the sight.

A woman is lying on a hospital bed, her feet up in stirrups and swearing in French. A doctor is standing between her legs and he can see the top of the baby’s head. Steve rushes to the woman’s side, talking to her gently in French. James shakes himself and moves the doctor out of the way.

“You’re gonna have to push,” he coaxes. The woman glares at him but does. James gently guides her through the contractions and pushing while Steve holds her hand (which is undoubtedly trying to crush Steve’s) and wipes her face.

After several minutes, the baby’s head is out. James cradles it gently, asks the woman to push again and the rest of it slides out.

“It’s a girl,” James gushes, his eyes wet with tears. The tiny thing in his hands wails. The doctor cuts the cord quickly, offers a blanket and goes back to tend to the woman. James wraps the baby up. “We’ve got another girl, Stevie.” He looks and Steve has moved from the side of the bed to right next to him. James looks and sees that Steve is crying too.

“She’s so beautiful, Buck. Our little Colleen Anna.” James sniffs. God, he can’t believe this. He looks at Steve again who is looking right back at him. James’s heart stutters. Then Steve leans in and kisses him. It takes a moment but he’s kissing Steve back. Then Colleen fusses. The woman says something and James realizes that the baby needs to feed. He moves over to the bed and hands Colleen over. Then he turns to Steve. “Stevie,” he begins.

Steve smiles gently. “Later, Buck. _James_. Sorry.”

“No,” he says, shaking his head. “It’s okay, you can call me that. You do anyway and it’s… I like it.”

Steve nods, then steps out into the other room to see if the radio works in the storm. They’ll need transport out of here with a newborn. Bucky – he’s decided if he’s going to let Steve call him that he should probably start thinking of himself as that – thinks about the kiss and wonders how much it’s going to change things.

*~*~*~*~*~*

It takes half a day for the storm to break enough to allow anything to land. They’ve bundled the baby up, tucked her into Steve’s jacket and are using the shield… to shield her from the worst of the weather. When Steve sees it land, he’s surprised to see Agent Triplett from Coulson’s team step out. But he just calls to everyone as they run for the jet.

He’s most concerned about making sure Colleen is warm, keeping her tucked away until the jet is in the air and up above the raging storm. It’s a tight fit and he really can’t talk to Bucky like he wants to, needs to. Kissing Buck had been… impulsive. But he’d been right there, crying like Steve had been crying and holding their little girl and… Steve tries not to analyze his actions too much. They’d kissed. They’ll deal with that when they’re alone.

The jet lands in New Zealand and they off load. The doctor and woman – her name is Suzanne, Steve found out – are left with agents for questioning. Bucky and he follow Trip onto Coulson’s plane.

“Well, Captain Rogers, Sergeant Barnes,” Coulson says as Steve, with Bucky’s help, get Colleen out from under everything. “Congratulations. May I see…?”

“Her,” Bucky supplies, taking Colleen from Steve. “I’d like to get her checked out first. Any of your team medics?”

Coulson nods. “We just got Agent Simmons back from an undercover op, she’ll look the girl over. We’ve done some retrofitting and there’s a bunk for all three of you when you’re done.”

“Thank you,” Steve says.

Colleen is declared in perfect health. Steve goes to get them food and returns to the bunk to find Bucky lying on the very small bed with the baby lying on his chest, both of them sleeping soundly. Steve takes pictures, forwarding them to the older kids. Becca texts back that they’re prepping a crib for her and that they all miss their dads. Steve sits in the one chair in the bunk and watches them, falling asleep soon after.

When they get back to the Tower there’s no time to talk as they fold Colleen into their family and routine. Bucky is the one who is up with her the most, like he’s avoiding Steve. It’s frustrating, but Steve just annihilates punching bags until he can come up with a solution. It’s Nat who finally helps him out.

“What the fuck is going on, Rogers?” she asks as they spar. “Since you and Barnes got back with my god-daughter,” she’s very smug about that fact, “You’ve been running around here like someone pissed in your Wheaties.”

Steve lashes out with a fist and Natasha ducks under it, jabbing his ribs. “Nothin’,” he grits out. “We’re fine.”

“The hell you are.” She catches him off guard and he lands on the mat with a thud. He lies there, breathing hard and thinking that he has to tell someone. She offers him a hand up and he takes it.

“I kissed Bucky,” he says.

Nat arches an eyebrow. “You mean… you and him _haven’t_ been…? Dammit, I owe Clint twenty bucks now.”

“What?” Steve asks confused. “You thought me and Buck were… sleeping together?”

“Yeah, you two have all this… chemistry and you get along so well being parents,” Nat offers. Then she smiles gently at him. “So you kissed him. Better than ours?”

Steve chuckles, rubbing a hand across the back of his neck. “Much. Helps that I love him.”

“Ah,” she says. “But you don’t know if he feels the same way.”

“I told him we’d talk about it later, but with the baby and the kids and… it’s nearly three weeks later and we haven’t talked.”

“Leave it all to me,” she says. Steve wants to ask her about it, but Nat just leans up, presses a kiss to his cheek and waltzes out of the gym mysteriously.

Two days later, Steve returns from a meeting with Fury to find that the two rooms they had all been occupying are empty. His phone buzzes with a text.

_Got the kids for the night. Go up a floor and down the hall. Good luck and you’re welcome. Tony._

Steve crinkles his brow in confusion but takes the stairs up to the next level and wanders down the hall. There is a door open there and he steps in with a tentative “Hello?”

“Steve, get your ass in here and tell me what the fuck Stark did with our kids!”

Bucky’s here. Steve steps in and closes the door behind him. He takes a look around and lets out a low whistle. Tony finally got around to making the larger room they needed. He sees a huge kitchen and living room with two sets of stairs on either side of the room leading up to the bedrooms. He sees Bucky standing in the middle of the living area.

“Where are the kids?” Bucky asked.

Steve approaches slowly. He’s not going to waste this chance. “Tony has them. Probably with Darcy, Clint and Nat to help out.”

“Why?”

“So… um… we can talk?” Steve offers lamely.

“Nothin’ to talk about,” Bucky says, starting to move away. Steve catches him by the arm, the metal one. The gears whir and plates shift, but Bucky makes no move to leave.

“Yes, Buck, we do. I kissed you,” Steve says, stroking a thumb over the metal, feeling it warm to his touch. “You kissed me back.”

“Heat of the moment,” Bucky mumbles with no conviction behind it.

Steve sighs. They are both stubborn when they want to be. “Buck, we’ve been dancing around… something ever since we brought Becca back.”

“So what if we have?” Bucky asks, looking down at the carpet. “Doesn’t have to mean anything. I like what we have now, Stevie.”

“I do too, Buck. But I… I think I want more. If you don’t want it, I’ll find a way to deal with it. But I meant what I said. On the Helicarrier. I’m with you…”

“No.”

The word is harsh and sharp even though it’s nearly whispered.

Steve’s heart plummets and he can’t really wrap his head around the answer. It’s a rejection, Bucky is telling him everything he thinks he saw was wrong. He’s ready to be okay with it, to try and move on from his feelings for Bucky.

But then Steve feels something, it’s coming from Bucky’s arm. It’s shaking. Steve looks - really looks - at Bucky, who is shaking all over now. Bucky slowly looks up at Steve, his breath coming in short gasps. Steve wants to move closer, to comfort Bucky, but he’s afraid to move.

Bucky takes in a long breath, looking right at Steve. His face is a mess of emotion, mostly anger. Steve doesn’t let go of the arm. “No,” Bucky repeats, louder this time. “I know what that means to me.” He shakes his head. “But you don’t get to hide behind it, Stevie. You tell me. Tell me plain. Tell me straight. I need to hear it straight.”

Steve swallows hard. His voice is gentle when he speaks. “I love you, James Barnes. Have for most of my life. Want to keep doing it for the rest of it.”

The silence between them stretches out for long moments.

Then Bucky is twisting, freeing his arm from Steve’s grip so that he can reach up and frame Steve’s face as they kiss. It’s hot and heavy and full of promise. They stumble over to the couch, Bucky in Steve’s lap as he whispers. “Love you, Steve. Loved you forever.” They are practically rutting and Steve has to push Bucky back a little to think.

“Pretty sure there’s a very large bed in one of the rooms upstairs,” he pants, whining as Bucky angles himself just so.

“Can’t wait. Waited too fucking long already,” Bucky moans.

They end up staining the couch in ways Tony probably never intended. They do make it to the bed. Eventually.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

A week later, they get married.

“Why the rush?” Clint asks, standing as one of the best men.

Both Steve and Bucky laugh. “What rush?” Bucky asks. “We waited seventy years. I think that’s a long enough engagement.”

“Too long,” Steve says, leaning down to kiss his husband. Colleen gurgles happily in his arms. The rest of the kids gather around them smiling and laughing. Thanks again to Tony’s lawyers they are all now Barnes-Rogerses. It’s a pretty good ending.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone for going on this journey with me.
> 
> If you'd like to join me for more flailing about these two, about Age of Ultron, or about the Marvel announcements made today (or just in general); you can find me [here](http://secondalto.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr.
> 
> If you'd like to see more in this universe, leave me a prompt and I'll see what I can do with it!
> 
> Finally, I'd love to have one or two more people to chat with, send ideas to, use as a first reader/beta, so send me an ask or e-mail: secondalto @ yahoo.com


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